Talking about Ireland: In the wake of a hostile High Court decision, the Dublin government announced today that a by-election will be held between November 22 and 29 in Donegal: here.

Dr Jim McDaid’s decision to resign as a TD is just the latest symptom in the terminal crisis affecting the Fianna Fáil/Green coalition. While the government still holds a tenuous majority of three seats, there are four by-elections pending, the chances are that we will be propelled into a new general election sooner rather than later. Doubtless Cowen and Lenihan will try and hang on. But the opinion polls and the economic catastrophe mean that the coalition is likely to lurch from one crisis to another: here.

The Irish Republic’s government said on Thursday that it wants to slash €6 billion (£5.2bn) from its 2011 deficit, even though it conceded that such big cuts and added taxes would mean lower growth: here.